John Rutter's 10 Essential Works

From the familiar to the obscure, Classic FM guides you through the very best of John Rutter.

1. RADIANT LYRICISM
For The Beauty Of The Earth
Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia/John Rutter
UNIVERSAL CLASSIC 178 5400
The ultimate Rutter miniature: meticulously crafted, melodically inspired, harmonically radiant and beautifully written for the voice. 

2. HARMONIC PARADISE
Candlelight Carol
Polyphony, City Of London Sinfonia/Stephen Layton
HYPERION CDA 67245

Composed in 1984 for the Church of the Assumption in Pittsburgh, Rutter’s most popular original carol setting glows with inner peace. 

3. EXQUISITE JOURNEY
Requiem

Choir Of King’s College Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
EMI 556 6052

Rutter’s Requiem is an enraptured seven-part meditation on man’s journey from life to death. 

4. UPLIFTING CELEBRATION
Gloria

Polyphony, City of London Sinfonia/Stephen Layton
HYPERION CDA 67259

Written in 1974, the Gloria offsets two outer movements of uncontainable joy against a more reflective central section. 

5. SUBLIME SIMPLICITY
Mass Of The Children
Cambridge Singers, Cantate Youth Choir, City of London Sinfonia/John Rutter
COLLEGIUM RECORDS COLCD 129

Combines the unique sound of boys’ voices with an adult choir. 

6. INSPIRED SETTINGS 
Fancies

The Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia/John Rutter
COLLEGIUM RECORDS CSCD 516

A cycle of six settings that stunningly recaptures the sense of whimsical imagination of the English madrigalists of the 16th century. 

7. SHEER ENCHANTMENT
The Wind In The Willows

Richard Baker (narr), King’s Singers, City of London Sinfonia/Richard Hickox
COLLEGIUM RECORDS CSCD 513

This colourful Kenneth Grahame adaptation is irresistible. 

8. YESTERDAY TODAY
Suite Antique
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/John Rutter
UNIVERSAL 9866876
Scored for the same instruments as Bach’s Fifth Brandenburg Concerto, which was on the same programme. 

9. PYROTECHNICAL CLASSIC
Bang!

Trinity Boys Choir, Orchestra Ex Trinitate/David Squibb
HERALD HAVP 283

Ingeniously composed so as to be performable by school-aged kids, it retells the events surrounding the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. 

10. GLORIOUS INVENTION 
Partita For Orchestra 
Royal Ballet Sinfonia/Gavin Sutherland 
RESONANCE CDRSB 502
 
Three-movement orchestral rollercoaster in celebratory mood that puts everyone through their collective paces in great style.

DISCOVER RUTTER 

Where to go to hear and learn more 

■ READ THE BOOK

This Is The Day by John Rutter

Find out how Rutter’s music looks on the page by following the vocal score whilst watching the royal premiere performance on Youtube.

ISBN 978-0-19-338237-4, OUP 

■ LEARN FROM THE MAESTRO
Tune into a series of fascinating introductions to the individual sections of the Magnificat and Requiem from the man himself. Search for John Rutter’s official channel on Youtube